Mechanical massaging apparatus.



D. GERALDINE.

MECHANICAL MASSAGING APPARATUS. APPLlCATlON -FILEDZDEC. 14. 1914.

1,161,767. v Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l- JZ I I D. GERALDINE.

MECHANICAL MASSAGING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 14. 1914.

Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

D. GERALDINE.

M ECHANICAL M ASSAGING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 14. I914.

Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

D. GERALDINE.

MECHANICAL MASSAGING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION HLED DEC. 14. I9I4.

Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

' 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Ill/I A UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DION GERALDINE, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MECHANICAL MASSAGING APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DION GERALDINE, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Chicago, in the county ofCook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanical MassagingApparatus; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which forma part of this specification.

This invention relates to a novel mechanical massaging machine formassaging the trunk and lower limbs of the human body, and the inventionconsists in the matters hereinafter set forth and more particularlypointed out inthe appended claims.

One of the objects of the invention is to simplify and reduce the costof mechanical massaging machines or apparatus, their weight and thespace required to contain them.

A further object of the invention is to improve the etliciency of suchmechanical massaging machines, and to this end the invention comprisesas one of its features a plurality of independently adaptableapplicators, so assembled and arranged that each individual applicator.when passing over" the body, is free to adapt itself to the con? tour ofthe body in close simulation of the operation of the human hand.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in an apparatus of thischaracter,

..means for adjust-ingthe series of applica tors so as to adapt the sameto patients of widely diverging sizes.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for yieldinglypressing'the independently adaptable applicators against the body, andfor adjusting the range of pressure.- 7 v Another object of theinvention is to provide means for quickly' opening and closing thecircular series of applicators to permit the patient to readily stepinto and out of the machine and to quickly adjust the applicators to thebody. 1

Another objectof the invention is to provide means for automaticallyraising and lowering the series of applicators and reversing thedirection of motion thereof at the ends of the throw or movement.

Specification of Illetters Patent. J Patented Nov, 23, 1915. Applicationfiled December 14, 1914. Serial No. 877,012.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the speedof travelof the applicators along and over the body may be varied.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine the movements ofwhich may be readily controlled by the patient, thereby avoiding thenecessity of a supervising attendant.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a mechanical massagingmachine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 3 isa detail showing one form of reversing mechanism for reversing thedirection of motion of the .circular series of applicators. Fig.4 is anaxial sectional detail of a pulley, showing one method of adjusting therate of speed of the applicators. Figs. 5. 6. 7 and 8 are details of theapplicators and the arms'which carry the same, showing also the meansfor pressing the applicators toward and against the body. Fig. 9 is adetail showing a portion of the annular applicator supporting frame.Figs. 10 and 11 are details showing one means of adjusting the size ofthe annular series of applicators. and for varying the pressure bywhichthe applicators are pressed against the body. Fig. 12- illustrates themanner in which the applicators are Dressed against the body of thepatient.

7 Figs. 13 and 14 are details of a modification. Figs. 15, 16 and 17 arefurther modification.

The machine herein shown as illustrative of one embodiment of myinvention embraces, in general terms, an upright supdetails of a port orstandard. a circular series of applicators and a frame therefor intowhich the patientis adapted to step so that the series of applicatorsencircle the patient.

means for adjusting the applicators to and said standard through themedium of hearing rollers 13, 13; and 14 an annular or ringlike framewhich is supported from said standard through the medium of arms 15,

15 and upper and lower braces 16 and 17, respectively. The said framecomprises an outer member 18 consisting preferably of flat bandmetal'with rounded edges, and an inner curved member 19 which ispreferably cylindrical in cross section and is supported on the band 18by means'of lugs or loops 20.

22 designates an annular series of applicators which consists,preferably, of wood rollers having crowned faces or peripheries.

The said appliactors, as herein shown, are arranged in upper and lowerpairs, with the upper pair slightly ofi-set from the lower pair, in themanner shown in Figs. 7 and 8. The said rollers are rotatively mountedon shafts 24, 24: which are carried by arms 25 of blocks or carrier-s26that'are pivoted. be-

tween their ends at 27 to the upper ends of I radially swinging arms 28.The arms are provided. at their lower ends with pivot eyes 29 which fitover the cylindric or rodlike member 19 of the applicator frame 14:,--whereby said arms -'are pivoted tothe frame to permit the upper endsthereof to swing radially inwardly and outwardly, to shift toward andfrom the body of the patient. The said applicator carrying arms areplaced under the influence ofcoiled springs 30; which, as herein shown,are coiled about the frame member 19 and hear at their free ends againsttheframe member 18 and the arms in such manner as to tend to throw theupper ends of the arms and the applicators carried thereby outwardly oraway from the patient. Thus, when the arms are unrestrained the springs30 serve to automatically open the series of applicators and to holdthem open in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

One of the features of my invention reside inproviding means forpressing or forcing the applicators toward the body of the patient insuch manner that each applicator unit, consisting of the two pairs ofrollers referred to, is .separately adaptable to the.

body of the patient and, at the same time, to provide means whereby thepressure by which the applicators are forced against the body may bevaried.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5 to 11, inclus'ive, the means for soadapting the applicators to this, what may be termed, independentaction, consists in providing an 'elastic tape or web which is adaptedto pass through loops 36 in the applicator blocks 26, said loops beingpreferably provided at their inner sides withrollers 37 about which theweb is trained, whereby the web is free to pass through the loops. Theends 58, 38 of the said elastic web are broughttogether at one side ofthe series of .The reel is provided witha hand wheel 42 by which it maybe turned to wind the web thereon and to thereby constrict the diameterof the web and the annular series of applicators controlled thereby. Thereel is.

lockedfrom rotation and the web held a given adjustment by means of asprlng pressed pawl 44 (Figs. 6 and 10) carried by the extension andwhich engages the teeth of a ratchet fixed to the reel shaft. With thisconstruction it will be evident that by turning the reel the diameter ofthe annular series of applicators is reduced to correspond with the sizeof the body of the patient and also to vary, at will, the pressure bywhich the applicators are to be pressed against the body. When the pawl44-is released from the ratchet, the springs 30 act, through theradially swingable arms 28, to swing the upper ends of'said arms and theapplicators outwardly.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the seriesof applicators are expanded to theextreme diameter of the series. In'Fig. 12 they are shown as contractedto contact with the body of the patient. When the said applicators areadjusted to the body they may be arranged so as to be broughtpractically together at their sides to constitute a full unbroken circleof applicator surface, or it may be desirable in some instances to havethe applicators angularly spaced when applied to the body of thepatient. In order to adapt the machine to persons of different size,and, at the same time, produce a practically continuous applicatorsurface, as indicated in Fig. 12, I may provide each machine with two ormore sets of rollers of different lengths to be applied to the shafts 24or may arrange each machine so as to receive a greater or less number ofapplicator carrying arms 28.

Another feature of my invention resides in the arrangement of theapplicators so as vice versa, and thus adjust the upper and lower pairsin their vertical movement to uneven and irregular contours of the body.By reason of the separate mounting of each set of rollers and ofthe-means for pressing them inwardly against the body, each' set isfurther separately adaptable to irregularities in the circumference of.the body.

Referring now to the means for raising and lowering the applicator frame11 so as to cause the applicators to travel up and down the body, thesame is herein shown as made as follows: 50 designates a drum which ismounted tin a hori zontal countershaft 51 that is rotatively mountedinstandards 52. 52 which are attached to and extend upwardly from thebase 10. 53 designates a cable which is wound between its ends a numberof turns upon said drum. One end of said cable is trained downwardlyfrom the drum over a pulley 55, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. andthence carried upwardly and is attached to the carriage 12 at 56. Theother end of the said cable is carried upwardly over pulleys T. 57 atthe top of the standard 11. and is thence carried downwardly'and isattached at 58 to the upper end of the carriage 12. The applicator frameand the applicators carried thereby are counterbalanced by a weight59.shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. and contained within the tubularstandard 11. which weight is connected by a cable 60, that extendsupwardly from the weight through the hollow standard and is trained overone of the pulleys 57 and extends downwardly therefrom for attachment tothe applicator frame at 62. The countershaft 51 is driven from a motor65 supported on-the base through a suitable speed reducing gear. 66. Theterminal shaft 67 of the said speed reducing gear is provided with abeveled pinion 65 which meshes with two opposed beveled pinions 69. T0.respectively. that are normally loose on the countershaft. i'ldesignates a sliding clutch ring or sleeve which is splined'to thecountershaft and is provided at its ends with teeth adapted to engageinto teeth on the adjacent inner sides of the beveled pinions 69. T0.the parts being so arranged that when said clutch sleeve is in itsneutral position. both pinions 69. TO rotate freely on the countershaft51. and when said'sleeve is shifted to one or other I of its limits ofmovement it locks one of said pinions 69 and T0 to rotate with theclutch sleeve so as to thereby drive the countershaft in one directionor the other. depending upon which of the pinions is so locked. withthis construction. the cotmtershaft may be rotated in either directionto raise and lower the applicator frame at will. Any suitable means maybe employed for reversing'the direction of rotation of the coluitershaftand for thereby reversing the direction of movement of the applicatorframe. As herein shown, I have provided an L-shaped shifted lever 73which is pivoted at its angle at H, with the short arm thereof looselyconnected to the clutch sleeve.

The longer arm of the lever 73 extends horizontally over the drum 50 andis forked to provide aslot through which the cable 53 passes. The saidcable 53 is provided at two points in its length with enlargements T5.76 which are of such size as to readily pass about the drum, but aremade slightly larger than the slot in the clutch shifter lever so thatas the cable travels through said .slot in one or the other directionone of the enlargements engages the lever and actuates it to shift theclutch sleeve and thereby change the direction of rotation of thecountershaft 51 and the direction of movement of .the applicator frame.The said enlargements T5, 76 may be clamped upon the cable in anysuitable manner by means permitting them to be shifted lengthwise of thecable so as to thereby vary the length of travel or throw of thecarriage '12. One means of varying the speed at which the carriage andthe applicator frame travels is illustrated in Fig. '1. wherein it shownthat the drum comprises a series of concentric cylindric shells 80. 80which As shown in said figtn'es the applicator roll HS 8- 81 are madegenerally similar to the rollers hereinbefore described and aresupported by an inflatable and deflatable hollow flexible ring member 85which is backed by a metal ring 86 which. in a general way.

takes the place of the open or ring-like frame l-l. before described.The rollers 84. which are arranged in pairs. are mounted on axlescarried by brackets 87 which extend inwardly from bases 88 thataresecured in any suitable mannerto leather. or like facing straps 90.which are carried by theinflatable ring member 85 of the applicatorframe. The said straps 90 are strapped about the frame through themedium of take-up buckles 91 connected to the terminals of the leatheror like facing straps and.

preferably. the buckles and one of the terminals of each strap areconnected by a spring 92. As herein shown. I have arranged'theapplicators in groups of three pairs. said pairs being staggered orarranged in ofiset relation to each other and adaptedto be arrangedclosely adjacent to an ad o1ning group to provide a substancarryingframe may bevaried by ing the applicator units. As therein-shown,

the applicator rollers 95 are mounted on carriers 96 which are pivotedcent-rally thereof at- 97fto the inner ends offbow" springs 98. Theouter ends of said-bow springs extend outwardly over the ring likevapplicator supporting frame 99 and are pivoted at 100 to the lowermargin of said frame. One edge of the bow springs 98 is adapted to beengaged bv a notched locking 98 and is pressed by a spring 103 againstthe adjacent side of the associated bow spring,

to thereby lock the spring in any position desired. The said lockingdevice and the pivotal connection of the bow spring with the open frame.98 constitutes means for varying the diameter of the series ofapplicator units and for'locking theseries in any given adjustmentdesired.

, modifications thereof, it is to be understood While I have describedwith some detail a preferred embodiment of my'invention and that theinvention is not thereby limited in its scope except as to such claimswherein structural details are specifically claimed,

and as imposed by the prior art.

I claim as my invention 1. A mechanical massaging, apparatus em- Ibracing an encircling series of independently adaptable applicatorunits, with a com mon interconnecting means acting to press the unitsagainst an encircled body.

2. A mechanical massagingapparatus embracing an encircling series of:interconnected, independently adaptable applicator units embracingtiltable. upper and lower -applicator members with adjustable pressuremeans to press the applicator members against the body.

3. A mechanical massagingapparatus embracing an encircling series oftiltable independently and automatically adaptable applicator units withmeans for raising and lowering said series, whereby the applicators maytravel along thebody and limbs of the patient. I

4. A. mechanical massaging apparatus em.-

" bracing an encircling series of applicator units, with a mountingtherefor constructed to permit independent radial and tilting motion ofsaid units, meansfor raising and lowering said series, and reversingmeans operable at the limits of movement of said series to reverse thedirection-of movement thereof.

5. A mechanical massaging apparatus embracing an encircling series ofapplicator meme? units, witha mounting therefor constructed able at (thelimits of movement of the said series to reverse the direction ofmovement thereof, and means associated with the raisingand loweringmeans to vary the rate of travel of said series.

6. A mechanical. massaging apparatus comprising an open frame,supporting 'meanstherefor arranged to permit vertical movement of theframe, a'circular series of interconnected independently and auto-'matically adaptable applicator units and w supports therefor carried bysaid frame and pawl 101 which is hinged at 102 to the frame movableradially toward and from the cen- 'ter ofthe frame, onwhich said unitsare pivotally carried, with means whereby said units are movable towardand from the center of the said series.

means therefor arranged to permit vertical movement of the frame, acircular series of applicator units, carrying members therefor supportedon said frame, means acting on the units to yieldingly press themagainst a body encircled thereby, and means acting on the carryingmembers to move the applicator units, when unrest-rained, outwardly.

' 9. A mechanical massaging apparatus comprising an open frame,suporting means therefor arranged to permit vertical movement oftheframe, arms pivoted at their lower ends to said frame to swing attheir upper ends inwardly and outwardly,

applicator units pivoted to the upper ends K of said arms, with meansfor yieldingly pressing said units toward a body encircled thereby.

10. A mechanical massaging apparatus comprising an open frame,supporting means therefor arranged to permit vertical movement of theframe, arms pivoted ,at

their lower ends to said frame to swing at their upper ends inwardly andoutwardly, applicator units pivoted to the upper ends of said arms, withmeans for yieldingly pressing said units toward a body encircledthereby, and springs acting on said arms to swing them outwardly whensaid pressing means are released.

11.. A mechanical massaging machine comprising a circular series ofindependently adaptable applicator. units and an elastic web forconnecting said units and for pressing them radially inwardly.

12. A' mechanical massaging apparatus comprising a circular SQIlQS\ ofindependently adaptable applicator units. an elastic web for connectingsaid units and for pressing them radially inwardly and adjusting meansacting on the web for varying the diameter of said series.

13. A mechanical massaging apparatus comprising 'a circular series ofindependently adaptable applicator units, an elastic web forconnectingsaid units and pressing them radially inwardly, a reel carriedby one of said units to which the ends of said web are attached, andreleasable locking means for locking the 'reel from rotation.

14. A mechanical massaging apparatus comprising an open frame with meansto support it permitting the frame to rise and fall, arms hinged to saidframe, applicator units carried by said arms and an elastic webconnecting said units, with means ,for varying the diameter of theseries of applicator units carried by said arms.

15. A mechanical ma aging apparatus comprising an open frame, with meansto support it permitting the frame to rise and fall, arms hinged to saidframe, applicator units carried by said arms. an elastic web connectingsaid units, a reel carried by one of the said units about which the endsof said web are adapted to be wound, and pawl and ratchet mechanism forlocking said. reel from rotation.

16. A mechanical massaging apparatus comprising an open frame, withmeans to support it permitting the frame to ria and fall, a circularseriesof applicator units.

with means to press them against a body encircled thereby and supportingmembers therefor carried by said frame, each of sa d units comprising acarrier pivoted to its supporting member and applicator rollers mountedin said carrier.

17. A mechanical mamaglng' apparatus comprising an open frame, withmeans to support it permitting the frame to rise and fall, supportingmembers carried by said frame and movable radially toward and from. theframe, slotted carriers pivoted to said members, applicator rollersmounted on said carriers and an elastic web trained through slots insaid carriers with means to vary the diameter thereof, for the purposeset forth.

18. A mechanical massaging apparatus comprising an open frame, withmeans to support it permitting the frame to rise and fall, supportingmembers carried by said frame and movable radially toward and from theheme, slotted carriers pivoted to said members, applicator rollersmounted in said carriers, an elastic web trained through the slots insaid carriers with means to vary the diameter thereof, and antifrictionrollers mounted in said carriers at said slots for engagement by saidweb.

19. A mechanical massaging apparatus comprising an open frame, withmeans to support it permitting the frame to rise and fall, supportingarms hinged at their lower ends to said frame. carriers pivoted betweentheir ends to the upper ends of said arms. applicator rollers mounted onthe ends of said carriers and means acting on the carriers to press therollers against a body encircled by said rollers.

20. A mechanical massaging apparatus comprising an open frame, withmeans to support it permitting the frame to rise and fall, supportingarms hinged at their lower ends to said frame, carriers pivoted betweentheir ends to the upper ends of said arms. applicator rollers mounted onthe ends of said carriers and means acting on the carriers to press therollers against the body encircled by 'said rollers, the rollers of eachunit being arranged in pairs, with the upper pair of each unit out ofline with the lower pair thereof.

21. In a massaging apparatus. a support mounted to be movable toward andfrom the patient with means to yieldingly press it toward the patient, acarrier pivoted between its ends to said support and applicator membercarried by the ends of said carrier.

22. In a massaging apparatus, an open frame, a series of tiltablecarriers supported thereby, with applicator members mounted on the endsof said carriers, and means acting on all of said carriers to press themtoward an encircled body while permitting the carriers to tilt to permitthe applicator members thereof to be adapted to the contour of the body.

In a massaging apparatus a radially swinging arm. a carrier pivotedbetween its ends thereto and applicator rollers carried by the, upperand lower ends of said carrier.

2i. In, a massaging apparatus a radially swinging arm, a carrier pivotedbetween its ends thereto and applicator rollers carried by the upper andlower ends of said carrier. the upper roller being out of line with thelower roller, for the purpose set forth.

"25. In a massaging apparatus, a series of encircling applicator units,each unit being independently movable toward the axis of the series andeach unit comprising a centrally pivoted carrier, with applicatorrollers mounted in the ends thereof.

:26. A mechanical massaging apparatus comprising a base, a standardrising theretiltable applicators with means for independently andautomatically adapting them to a body encircled thereby, a supportingframe for the applicators, and a.carriage trareling on said standard forsustaining said frame.

27. A, mechanical massaging apparatus comprising a base, a standardrising therefrom, a series of encircling "tiltable applicators, withmeans for independently and automatically adapting them to abodyencircled thereby, a supporting frame for the applicators, acarriage traveling on said standard for sustaining the frame, motordriven means for raising and lowering said 15 frame, and automatic meansfor reversing the motor driven means at the limits of movement of theapplicator supporting frame.

- In testimony, that I claim the foregoing 20 as my invention I affix mysignature in the presence of two witnesses, this 8th day of December, A.D. 1914.

mos GERALDINE.

nesses:

W. J. FAULKNER, G. A. SO l

